A handsome reed arm chair.

Arm Chair

A handsome reed arm chair.

"Apse of the Basilica, Torcello, with Bishop's throne and seats for the clergy."

Apse of the Basilica

"Apse of the Basilica, Torcello, with Bishop's throne and seats for the clergy."

A baby seat for mounting on the rear of a bicycle. The baby seat includes a horizontally extending lower frame assembly, an upper frame assembly attached to the lower frame assembly and defining an upwardly oriented interior adapted to receive the baby, and support braces for supporting the baby seat from the bicycle.

Baby Seat for Bicycles

A baby seat for mounting on the rear of a bicycle. The baby seat includes a horizontally extending lower…

An illustration of a young boy sitting in a window seat and looking out a window.

Boy Sitting and Looking Out Window

An illustration of a young boy sitting in a window seat and looking out a window.

An office chair, or desk chair, is a type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is generally comfortable and adjustable and can swivel 360 degrees.

Adjustable Office Chair

An office chair, or desk chair, is a type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office.…

A rocking chair is a type of chair with two curved bands of wood attached to the bottom of the legs. The chair makes contact with the floor at only two points, which gives the user the ability to rock back and forth by merely shifting their weight

Curved Band Rocking Chair

A rocking chair is a type of chair with two curved bands of wood attached to the bottom of the legs.…

A piece of furniture consisting of a seat, legs, back, and often arms, designed to accommodate one person.

Dining Chair

A piece of furniture consisting of a seat, legs, back, and often arms, designed to accommodate one person.

"The Egyptian chairs of which we have a great variety of representations, were not inferior in elegance to any thing of the kind at the present day." — Goodrich, 1844

Egyptian chair

"The Egyptian chairs of which we have a great variety of representations, were not inferior in elegance…

A type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is generally comfortable and adjustable and can swivel 360 degrees.

Office Chair

A type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is generally comfortable and adjustable…

A chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. A chair with arms is an armchair and with folding action and inclining footrest, is a recliner. The design may be made of porous materials, or be drilled with holes for decoration; a low back or gaps can provide ventilation. The back may extend above the height of the occupant's head, which can optionally contain a headrest.

Reclining Chair

A chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat…

A chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. A chair without a back or arm rests is a stool, or when raised up, a bar stool.

Side View of a Chair

A chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat…

"Workman drilling a hole in the seat of a chair." — Goodrich, 1844

Egyptian Chairmaker

"Workman drilling a hole in the seat of a chair." — Goodrich, 1844

This chair is composed of a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. These chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. This chair features a fan design that autonomously spins as you rock back and forth.

Automatic Fan Attachment for Chairs

This chair is composed of a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. These chairs…

Chillicothe served as the capital of Ohio from the beginning of statehood in 1803 until 1810 when Zanesville became the capital for two years.

Seat of Government at Chillicothe

Chillicothe served as the capital of Ohio from the beginning of statehood in 1803 until 1810 when Zanesville…

"The Egyptian couches were executed in great taste. They were of wood, with one end raised, and receding in a graceful curve; the feet, like those of many of the chairs were fashioned to resemble those of animals." — Goodrich, 1844

Egyptian Couch

"The Egyptian couches were executed in great taste. They were of wood, with one end raised, and receding…

A fancy parlor chair or window seat.

Parlor Chair

A fancy parlor chair or window seat.

"Pluto throned." —Bulfinch, 1897

Pluto throned

"Pluto throned." —Bulfinch, 1897

A bicycle saddle is often called a seat, which has one of three contact points on an upright bicycle, the others being on the pedals and the handle bars. The bicycle saddle has been known as such since he bicycle evolved from a draisine.

Bicycle Saddle

A bicycle saddle is often called a seat, which has one of three contact points on an upright bicycle,…

An illustration of an Egyptian seat made of ivory and ebony wood.

Egyptian Ivory and Ebony Seat

An illustration of an Egyptian seat made of ivory and ebony wood.

"Improvised Hand Seats: the Three-Handed Seat. THe usefull three-handed seat is made by one bearer grasping the free wrist of the other bearer and placing his free hand on his partner's shoulder, in order to support the patient's back." — Blaisedell, 1904

Hand seat

"Improvised Hand Seats: the Three-Handed Seat. THe usefull three-handed seat is made by one bearer grasping…

"Showing how the Improvised Three-Handed Seat may be used to carry an Injured Person. The picture also shows how a boy's broken leg may be treated with an improvised apparatus made of pieces of oak bark for splints, padded with graass and held in place by two pocket handkerchiefs." — Blaisedell, 1904

Hand seat

"Showing how the Improvised Three-Handed Seat may be used to carry an Injured Person. The picture also…

The sedilia in Southwell Minster, England. In church architecture, a sedile is a seat near the altar used by priests and deacons.

Sedilia

The sedilia in Southwell Minster, England. In church architecture, a sedile is a seat near the altar…

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state. Curulis is derived by the ancient writers from currus, but it more probably contains the same root as curia. The sella curulis is said to have been used at Rome from a very remote period as an emblem of kingly power, having been imported, along with various other insignia of royalty, from Etruria. Under the republic the right of sitting upon this chair belonged to the consuls, praetors, curule aediles, and censors; to the flamen dialis; to the dictator, and to those whom he deputed to act under himself, as the magister equitum, since he might be said to comprehend all magistracies within himself. After the downfall of the constitution, it was assigned to the emperors also, or to their statues in their absence." — Smith, 1873

Sella

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state.…

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state. Curulis is derived by the ancient writers from currus, but it more probably contains the same root as curia. The sella curulis is said to have been used at Rome from a very remote period as an emblem of kingly power, having been imported, along with various other insignia of royalty, from Etruria. Under the republic the right of sitting upon this chair belonged to the consuls, praetors, curule aediles, and censors; to the flamen dialis; to the dictator, and to those whom he deputed to act under himself, as the magister equitum, since he might be said to comprehend all magistracies within himself. After the downfall of the constitution, it was assigned to the emperors also, or to their statues in their absence." — Smith, 1873

Sella

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state.…

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state. Curulis is derived by the ancient writers from currus, but it more probably contains the same root as curia. The sella curulis is said to have been used at Rome from a very remote period as an emblem of kingly power, having been imported, along with various other insignia of royalty, from Etruria. Under the republic the right of sitting upon this chair belonged to the consuls, praetors, curule aediles, and censors; to the flamen dialis; to the dictator, and to those whom he deputed to act under himself, as the magister equitum, since he might be said to comprehend all magistracies within himself. After the downfall of the constitution, it was assigned to the emperors also, or to their statues in their absence." — Smith, 1873

Sella

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state.…

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state. Curulis is derived by the ancient writers from currus, but it more probably contains the same root as curia. The sella curulis is said to have been used at Rome from a very remote period as an emblem of kingly power, having been imported, along with various other insignia of royalty, from Etruria. Under the republic the right of sitting upon this chair belonged to the consuls, praetors, curule aediles, and censors; to the flamen dialis; to the dictator, and to those whom he deputed to act under himself, as the magister equitum, since he might be said to comprehend all magistracies within himself. After the downfall of the constitution, it was assigned to the emperors also, or to their statues in their absence." — Smith, 1873

Sella

"Sella, the general term for a seat or chair of any description. Sella Curulis, the chair of state.…

A couch or "Darby and Joan seat, a settee having two chair-like backs, for two persons." -Whitney, 1911

Settee

A couch or "Darby and Joan seat, a settee having two chair-like backs, for two persons." -Whitney, 1911

"A vehicle, mounted on runners, for transporting persons on the snow or ice; sled. a, runners; b, shoes; c, shafts or thills; d, braces; e, body; f, cushioned seat; g, dashboard; h, raves." —Whitney, 1889

A Single-Horse Sleigh or Cutter

"A vehicle, mounted on runners, for transporting persons on the snow or ice; sled. a, runners; b, shoes;…

"A seat or bench of a particular form. A sofa; especially a sofa of peculiar pattern, as a short one for two persons only, or one having two or three chairbacks instead of a continuous back...A small part taken off from a long and large sofa by a kind of arm: thus, a long sofa may have a settee at each end partly cut off from the body of the piece." —Whitney, 1889
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This illustration is of an 18th century sofa.

Sofa with Two Settees

"A seat or bench of a particular form. A sofa; especially a sofa of peculiar pattern, as a short one…

A simple seat without a back or arms

Folding Stool

A simple seat without a back or arms

An illustration a Swiss milking stool.

Swiss Milking Stool

An illustration a Swiss milking stool.

In some churches, pews were installed at the expense of the congregants, and were their personal property; there was no general public seating in the church itself. In these churches, pew deeds recorded title to the pews, and were used to convey them. Pews were originally purchased from the church by their owners under this system, and the purchase price of the pews went to the costs of building the church. Pictured here is George Washington's family pew at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in New York.

Washington's Pew at St. Paul's, New York

In some churches, pews were installed at the expense of the congregants, and were their personal property;…